1. EU ACCESSION PROCESS ECENA Plenary Meeting Zagreb January 2006 Carmen Falkenberg Ambrosio - European Commission

2. Enlargement Process Countries at different stages: - Acceding countries: Accession Treaty - Candidate countries: - Negotiations opened with HR, TK - not yet with MK - Potential candidates: SAP - SAAs in force (HR, MK) - others under negotiation (AL, SCG, BIH to start 25/1)

3. Developments 25 October 2005: Comprehensive Monitoring Reports on Bulgaria's and Romania's preparations for EU accession adopted by the Commission. 9 November 2005: progress reports on Turkey, Croatia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro adopted by the Commission. 9 November 2005: Opinion on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia adopted by the Commission. December 2005 European Council: the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is granted candidate status

4. Previous Enlargement Adoption of the acquis in environment was a major challenge: –Legislative more than 200 pieces of legislation; over 140 Directives need to transpose AND implement –Institutional –Financial

5. Institutional Challenges in Accession countries Administrative structure – ministries, local and regional bodies, and enforcement/inspection agents Inter-ministerial cooperation Involvement of stakeholders, including private sector, NGOs, and … citizens  All needed strengthening in accession countries

6. Results of enlargement Alignment with EU standards nearly 100% transposition of EU legislation Administrative reinforcement (inspectorates, agencies, monitoring systems, …) Implementation plans with financing strategies Improving and developing environmental infrastructure

7. Main environment policy sectors Main environment policy sectors “Horizontal” Legislation (EIA, SEA, etc) Air Quality WaterWaste Nature Protection Industrial Pollution Control

8. Key legislation adopted in 2003 Directives: Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Access to Environmental Information and Public Participation (Aarhus Convention) Quality of Petrol and Diesel Fuels Emission Trading Amendment to Seveso II

9. Key legislation adopted in 2004 Directives: Packing and Packaging Waste Environmental Liability Monitoring Mechanisms on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Linking Directive on Climate Change Regulation: Incorporation of the POPs convention into community legislation

10. Key directives under discussion Key directives under discussion Quality of bathing water (2nd reading agreement in Oct. 2005) Revision of the Regulation of the Shipment of Waste (2nd reading agreement in Oct. 2005) Access to Justice (third element in the Aarhus Convention) Protection of groundwater against pollution Review of Community Legislation on Chemicals (REACH) Batteries and Accumulators Mining waste (Text agreed by European Parliament and Council in December 2005)

11. Legal enforcement aspects Legal enforcement aspects 22% of all infringements of the Commission in 2005 concerned environment Of open cases, in September 2005: –36 % nature protection –18 % waste –17 % environmental impact assessment –10 % water – 9 % air –10 % others

12. Environment Policy: Thematic strategies Clean Air for Europe (adopted) Clean Air for Europe (adopted) Protect and conserve the marine environment (adopted) Protect and conserve the marine environment (adopted) Soil protection Soil protection Sustainable use of pesticides Sustainable use of pesticides Waste prevention and recycling (adopted) Waste prevention and recycling (adopted) Sustainable use of natural resources (adopted) Sustainable use of natural resources (adopted) Urban environment (adopted) Urban environment (adopted)

13. Final Remarks Challenges similar to those of the previous enlargement Environmental policy and legislation are moving targets Funding presently from CARDS, future funding still to be decided (financial parspectives under discussion)